On this day — November 18

Philipp Ludwig II, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg (died 1612)

Eleonora Gonzaga, Italian wife of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor (died 1686)

Pierre Bayle, French philosopher and author (died 1706)

Philibert Commerson, French physician and explorer (died 1773)

Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch, German harpsichord player and composer (died 1800)

Thomas Burgess, English bishop and philosopher (died 1837)

Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (died 1806)

Wilhelmine of Prussia, Queen of the Netherlands (died 1837)

David Wilkie, Scottish painter and academic (died 1841)[citation needed]

Carl Maria von Weber, German composer and conductor (probable; died 1826)

Louis Daguerre, French artist, photographer and inventor (died 1851)

Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora, Italian general and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Italy (died 1878)

Asa Gray, American botanist and academic (died 1888)

Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, Finnish-Swedish geologist and explorer (died 1901)

James Patterson, English-Australian politician, 17th Premier of Victoria (died 1895)

W. S. Gilbert, English playwright, poet, and illustrator (died 1911)

August Kundt, German physicist and educator (died 1894)

Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia (died 1929)

Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Polish pianist, composer, and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland (died 1941)

John Matthew Moore, American politician (died 1940)

Henry Daglish, Australian politician, Premier of Western Australia (died 1920)

Robert Hugh Benson, English Catholic priest and novelist (died 1914)

Clarence Day, American author and poet (died 1935)

Victor Hémery, French racing driver (died 1950)

Naum Torbov, Bulgarian architect, designed the Central Sofia Market Hall (died 1952)

Amelita Galli-Curci, Italian-American soprano (died 1963)

Wyndham Lewis, English painter and critic (died 1957)

Jacques Maritain, French philosopher and author (died 1973)

Frances Gertrude McGill, pioneering Canadian forensic pathologist (died 1959)

Carl Vinson, American judge and politician (died 1981)

Ferenc Münnich, Hungarian soldier and politician, 47th Prime Minister of Hungary (died 1967)

Frances Marion, American screenwriter, novelist and journalist (died 1973)

Stanislav Kosior, Polish-Russian politician (died 1939)

Laura Negley, American politician, member of the Texas House of Representatives (died 1973)

Gio Ponti, Italian architect, industrial designer, furniture designer, artist, and publisher. (died 1979)

Patrick Blackett, Baron Blackett, English physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1974)

Eugene Ormandy, Hungarian-American violinist and conductor (died 1985)

Howard Thurman, American author, philosopher and civil rights activist (died 1981)

George Gallup, American statistician (died 1984)

V. Shantaram, Indian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1984)

Craig Wood, American golfer (died 1968)

Masao Koga, Japanese composer and guitarist (died 1978)

Alan Lennox-Boyd, 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton, English lieutenant and politician, Secretary of State for the Colonies (died 1983)

Sait Faik Abasıyanık, Turkish author and poet (died 1954)

Alec Issigonis, Greek-English car designer, designed the mini car (died 1988)

Klaus Mann, German-American novelist, short story writer, and critic (died 1949)

George Wald, American neurobiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1997)

Gustav Nezval, Czech actor (died 1998)

Compay Segundo, Cuban singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2003)

Imogene Coca, American actress, comedian, and singer (died 2001)

Johnny Mercer, American singer-songwriter and producer, co-founded Capitol Records (died 1976)

Attilio Bertolucci, Italian poet and author (died 2000)

Vic Hey, Australian rugby league player and coach (died 1995)

Hilda Nickson, English author (died 1977)

Endre Rozsda, Hungarian-French painter and illustrator (died 1999)

Haguroyama Masaji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 36th Yokozuna (died 1969)

Ken Burkhart, American baseball player and umpire (died 2004)

Pedro Infante, Mexican actor and singer (died 1957)

İlhan Berk, Turkish poet and author (died 2008)

Tasker Watkins, Welsh soldier, judge, and politician, Victoria Cross recipient (died 2007)

Jocelyn Brando, American actress (died 2005)

Robert Fryer, American playwright and producer (died 2000)

Mustafa Khalil, Egyptian lawyer and politician, 77th Prime Minister of Egypt (died 2008)

Ron Suart, English football player and manager (died 2015)

Frances Hawkins, American politician and teacher, member of the Nevada State Assembly (died 2001)

Marjorie Gestring, American springboard diver (died 1992)

Luis Somoza Debayle, Nicaraguan politician, 70th President of Nicaragua (died 1967)

Cornelis Ruhtenberg, American painter (died 2008)

Alan Shepard, American astronaut (died 1998)

Ted Stevens, American politician (died 2010)

Anna Elisabeth (Lise) Østergaard, Danish psychologist and politician (died 1996)

Roy Sievers, American baseball player (died 2017)

Hank Ballard, American R&B singer-songwriter (died 2003)

Knowlton Nash, Canadian journalist and author (died 2014)

Salvador Laurel, Filipino lawyer and politician, 5th Prime Minister of the Philippines (died 2004)

Sheila Jordan, American singer-songwriter and pianist (died 2025)

Gianna D'Angelo, American soprano and educator (died 2013)

Danny McDevitt, American baseball player (died 2010)

Bruce Conner, American painter, photographer, and director (died 2008)

Vassilis Vassilikos, Greek journalist and diplomat (died 2023)

Rudolf Bahro, German philosopher and politician (died 1997)

Ennio Antonelli, Italian cardinal

Don Cherry, American trumpet player (died 1995)

John Edmond, Rhodesian folk singer and soldier

Jules Mikhael Al-Jamil, Iraqi-Lebanese archbishop (died 2012)

Norbert Ratsirahonana, Malagasy politician, Prime Minister of Madagascar

Karl Schranz, Austrian skier

Margaret Atwood, Canadian author

Margaret Jay, Baroness Jay of Paddington, English journalist and politician, Leader of the House of Lords

Amanda Lear, Hong Kong-French singer-songwriter and actress

Brenda Vaccaro, American actress

James Welch, American novelist and poet (died 2003)

Gary Bettenhausen, American race car driver (died 2014)

David Hemmings, English actor and director (died 2003)

Linda Evans, American actress

Susan Sullivan, American actress

Leonardo Sandri, Argentinian cardinal

Wolfgang Joop, German fashion designer, founded JOOP!

Ed Krupp, American astronomer, archaeoastronomer, author, Director Griffith Observatory

Wilma Mankiller, American tribal chief (died 2010)

Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician, 6th President of Sri Lanka

Alan Dean Foster, American author

Jameson Parker, American actor

Ross Wilson, Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

Tõnis Mägi, Estonian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor

Kongō Masahiro, Japanese sumo wrestler (died 2014)

Ana Mendieta, Cuban-American sculptor and painter (died 1985)

Jack Tatum, American football player (died 2010)

Herman Rarebell, German rock drummer and songwriter

Graham Parker, English singer-songwriter and guitarist

Rudy Sarzo, Cuban-American rock bass player

Pete Morelli, American businessman

Justin Raimondo, American journalist and author (died 2019)

Peter Beattie, Australian lawyer and politician, 36th Premier of Queensland

Delroy Lindo, English-American actor and director

John Parr, English singer-songwriter and guitarist

Jan Kuehnemund, American rock guitarist (died 2013)

Alan Moore, English author

Kevin Nealon, American comedian and actor

Carter Burwell, American composer and conductor

Noel Brotherston, Irish-English footballer and painter (died 1995)

Warren Moon, American football player and sportscaster

Jim Weirich, American computer scientist, developed Rake Software (died 2014)

Tony Bunn, American bassist, composer, producer, and writer

Daniel Brailovsky, Argentine-Israeli footballer and manager

Oscar Nunez, Cuban-American actor and comedian

Jimmy Quinn, Northern Irish footballer and manager

Ivans Klementjevs, Latvian canoeist

Elizabeth Perkins, American actress

Yeşim Ustaoğlu, Turkish director, producer, and screenwriter

Kim Wilde, English singer-songwriter

Steven Moffat, Scottish screenwriter and producer

Tim Guinee, American actor

Kirk Hammett, American guitarist, songwriter, member of the thrash metal band Metallica

Jamie Moyer, American baseball player

Len Bias, American basketball player (died 1986)

Dante Bichette, American baseball player and coach

Todd Bowles, American football player and coach

Peter Schmeichel, Danish footballer and sportscaster

Rita Cosby, American journalist and author

Tim DeLaughter, American singer-songwriter and musician

Jocelyn Lemieux, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster

Romany Malco, American rapper, producer, actor, and screenwriter

Gary Sheffield, American baseball player

Owen Wilson, American actor

Sam Cassell, American basketball player and coach

Ahmed Helmy, Egyptian actor

Koichiro Kimura, Japanese mixed martial artist and wrestler (died 2014)

Duncan Sheik, American singer-songwriter and composer (died 2026)

Mike Epps, American actor and comedian

Megyn Kelly, American lawyer and journalist

Peta Wilson, Australian model and actress

Thérèse Coffey, English chemist and politician

Terrance Hayes, American poet and academic

Matthew Rodwell, Australian rugby league player and sportscaster

Jeroen Straathof, Dutch cyclist and speed skater

Jonnie Irwin, English television presenter and business expert (died 2024)

Nic Pothas, South African cricketer and coach

Graham Coughlan, Irish footballer and coach

Chloë Sevigny, American actress, model, and fashion designer

Petter Solberg, Norwegian racing driver

Anthony McPartlin, English comedian, actor, and producer

David Ortiz, Dominican-American baseball player

Dominic Armato, American voice actor

Sage Francis, American rapper

Steven Pasquale, American actor

Shagrath, Norwegian singer-songwriter

Matt Welsh, Australian swimmer

Mona Zaki, Egyptian actress

Trent Barrett, Australian rugby league player, coach, and sportscaster

Fabolous, American rapper

Damien Johnson, Irish footballer

Aldo Montano, Italian fencer

Neeti Mohan, Indian playback singer

Nate Parker, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter

Hamza al-Ghamdi, Saudi Arabian terrorist, hijacker of United Airlines Flight 175 (died 2001)

Luke Chadwick, English footballer

Minori Chihara, Japanese voice actress and singer

François Duval, Belgian racing driver

Denny Hamlin, American race car driver

C. J. Wilson, American baseball player

Mekia Cox, American actress and dancer

Dianne dela Fuente, Filipino singer and actress

Nasim Pedrad, Iranian-American actress

Vittoria Puccini, Italian actress

Christina Vidal, American actress and singer

Justin Knapp, American Wikipedia editor

Damon Wayans Jr., American actor and comedian

Travis Buck, American baseball player

Jon Lech Johansen, Norwegian computer programmer and engineer, created DeCSS

Ryohei Chiba, Japanese singer and dancer

Aleksander Ihnatowicz, Polish programmer and actor

Enar Jääger, Estonian footballer

Allyson Felix, American sprinter

Jake Abel, American actor

Cal Clutterbuck, Canadian ice hockey player

Yoon Park, South Korean actor

Jeffrey Jordan, American basketball player

Michael Roach, American soccer player

Marie-Josée Ta Lou, Ivorian sprinter

Marc Albrighton, English footballer

Lu Jiajing, Chinese tennis player

Arnett Moultrie, American basketball player

Ahmed Kelly, Iraqi-Australian swimmer

Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, Thai tennis player

Jameson Taillon, Canadian-American baseball player

Nathan Kress, American actor and director

Henry Martín, Mexican footballer

Quincy Miller, American basketball player

Steven Skrzybski, German footballer

Joe Thuney, American football player

Akiyuki Hashimoto, Japanese sprinter

Danka Kovinić, Montenegrin tennis player

Bernhard Luxbacher, Austrian footballer

Akram Afif, Qatari footballer

Christian Kirk, American football player

Jacob Bryson, Canadian ice hockey player

Shea Langeliers, American baseball player

Robert Sánchez, Spanish footballer

Caleb Williams, American football player

Patrick Baldwin Jr., American basketball player

Luka Romero, Mexican-Argentine footballer